But now the producers have pulled the plug, with thousands of tickets remaining unsold.

Chief backer Brian Snagg said: "We stood to make a loss of up to #20,000. There was nothing else for it but to cancel the show."

The pantomime's scriptwriter Mike Howl said: "It seems fans are just not in the mood for a laugh.

"The situation at Everton has got to the stage where it's no longera joke. There is only so much that the fans can take, and they are definitely not in the mood for pantomime."

Danny McCall said: "I am very disappointed the show has been pulled. I was looking forward to seeing everyone. But I suppose it's inevitable in view of the general state of things at Goodison at the moment."

Mike Howl said it was now hoped to present the pantomime later in the year or next Easter.

The show had been booked into the Empire from August 19-21, following its sell-out success at the Royal Court theatre in March.